Brad Marino – Hot Rod Rampage
I’ve been a fan of Brad Marino going all the way back to his partnership with Geoff Palmer. The Connection specialized in the sounds of yesteryear, a descendant of Rockpile, The Ramones and other 60’s and 70’s icons. Last year’s Grin & Bear It was a real blast and featured a guest appearance from Kurt Baker. Now, Marino is back with a fire cracker of an EP entitled Hot Rod Rampage.
Rock ’n’ Roll Gateway to Summer
Given the title, It isn’t hard to guess the theme here. As such, it’s the perfect rock ’n’ roll gateway to summer 2024. In Brad’s words, “I’m a huge fan of surf/hot rod RnR music from the 60’s and have wanted to make a release like this for about 15 years and I finally did it.”
Hot Rod Rampage consists of 3 well chosen covers of summer classics along with one Marino original, a surf style instrumental called “Tripwire”. The Super Stocks’ “D/Gas Chevy” is first up, performed true to the original. Beach Boys fans will immediately recognize “Shut Down”. Few songs in Brian Wilson’s catalog say summer time as much as this one. But it’s “Wax Board and Woodie” that floats my boat. The harmonies are impeccable and he’s captured the vibe perfectly. It brings The Surfaris classic to even bigger heights.
Get Brad Marino’s New EP Here
Hot Rod Rampage is another excellent Rum Bar release. You can get your copy (digital only) at the Brad Marino / Rum Bar band camp page.
